Electrical ship&#39;s-log apparatus.



No. 720,508. I PATENTED FEB. 10, 1-903.

T. F. 8; T. S. WALKER. ELECTRICAL SHIPS LOG APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 25, 1902.

N0 HODEL. 7 SHEETSSHBET 1.

No. 720,508. PATENTED FEB. 10, 1903'.

T. F. & T. WALKER. ELECTRICAL SHIPS LOG APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 25, 1902.

30 MODEL. 7 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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' T. P. & T. s. WALKER.

ELECTRICAL SHIPS LOG APPARATUS;

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 25, 1902.

BO MODBL- 7 SHEETS-SHEET 3 No. 720,508. PATENTED FEB. 1'0, 1903.

, T; P. & T. s. WALKER. ELECTRICAL SHIPS LOG APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 25, 1902.

.10 HODEL. '7 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

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No. 720,508 P-ATENTED' FEB.- 10, 1903.

' 12$. 6: 1". s; WALKER. ELECTRICAL SHIPS LOG APPARATUS.

.APPL'ioAT oN FILED JAN. 25, 1902. I 1011mm. 7 sums-5mm 5.

No. 720,508. PATEINTED FEB. I0, 1903.

T. IE. & T, s.' WALKER. 4 ELEGTRIGAL SHIPS LOGA'PPARATUS.

1 APPLICATION FILED JAN. 25, 1902.

N0 MODEL.

7 SHEETS-SHEET 6.

No. 720,508. PATENTED FEB.10, 1903.

T. P. &;T. s. WALKER. ELECTRICAL SHIPS LOG APPARATUS.

APELIGATION TILED JAN. 25, 1902.

N0 MODEL, 7 SHEETS-SHEET 7 w ;z@ -w/ Fa e/52 626 6 T/zanz awjifi yaler f7 2 /2022? a d (i Z a Z1? WSJZW UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS FERDINAND WALKER AND THOMAS SYDNEY WALKER, OF BIRMINGHAM,ENGLAND.

ELECTRICAL SHIPS-LOG APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 720,508, datedFebruary 10, 1903.

Application filed January 25, 1902. Serial No. 91,25 7. (No model.)

.To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, THOMAS FERDINAND WALKER and THOMAS SYDNEY WALKER,subjects of the King of Great Britain, residing at 58 Oxford street,Birmingham, in the county of WVarwick, England, both of the firm ofThomas WValker dz Son, engineers, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in or Relating to Electrical Ships-Log Apparatus, of whichthe following is a specification.

These improvements have reference to ships log apparatus of the kinddescribed in patent granted to us on the 3d day of June, 1902, No.701,651. In the apparatus disclosed in the said Patent No. 701,651 thereis a barrel inclosing a spring, which is wound up by acontinuously-revolving wheel and axis by the rotation derived from partswhich are caused to rotate originally by the rotation of a wingedpropeller drawn through the water in wellunderstood fashion. Such barrelis there shown provided with an external peripheral projection which fora momentary period closes an electrical circuit for the purpose thereindescribed. According to the arrangement of our present invention asherein shown instead of such projection on the barrel we form the lid,cover, or equivalent part of the barrel for the spring into or connectit into operative unitywith a sleeve which projects through or beyond anebonite or insulating plate or piece affixed to the frame, the saidplate serving to support and insulate a contact-spring. This sleeve iscut away on one side or is so formed that in one position of rotation ofthe barrel or its equivalent when the trigger is released the sleeverevolves and a projecting part thereof slides under the contact-springand completes the circuit.

Instead of the arrangement already described the barrel may be replacedby any suitable spring-retaining means that will keep the parts inproper relation to enable the spring connection to work correctly. Thisspring-retaining means may have given to it a continuous rotativemovement, while its axis or the axis of the wheel in connection with thespring-retainer may be the intermittently-rotative member to bring aboutthe periodic circuit-closure, and in such case part of this axis will besuitably shaped or be provided with a suitably-shaped contacting part.

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a log registor-case fitted with ourimproved electrical apparatus with the flange of the register-caseremoved. Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the log-register without theelectrical apparatus, showing more clearly the wheelwork mechanism. Fig.1 is a like view with a portion of the gears removed. Fig. 1 is asectional elevation of the log-register on the line a; a: of Fig. 1.Fig. 1 isa side elevation of the logregister. Fig. 2 is an edge view ofFig. 1, showing the actuating-wheelwork. Fig. 3 is a plan view of oneform of our apparatus constructed according to our invention. Fig. 4 isa front view of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a plan view similar to Fig. 3 withcasing broken away to show the trigger and barrel more clearly. Fig. 6is a front sectional elevation with the electrical circuit open. Fig. 7is a front sectional elevation showing the electrical circuit closed.Fig. 8 is a plan view of barrel with cap and spring removed. Fig. 9 is amodification shown by front elevation. Fig. 10 is a plan View of Fig. 9.Fig. 11 is a sectional elevationof Figs. 9 and 10. Fig. 12 is a planView of Fig. 9, being partly in section, so as to show the barrel andtrigger more clearly. Fig. 13 is a plan, partly in section, of theelectrical circuit-forming mechanism. Fig. 14 is a sectional sideelevation thereof; and Fig. 15 is a View showing the log connected tothe rotator by means of a flexible connection, the latter broken in two,and also showing the register mechanism connected with the log.

We employ a rotator A of usual description, caused to rotate byresistance to its being dragged through the water, and its rotations aretransmitted by a flexible or other connection B to wheelwork ofsubstantially usual description 0, which may be such as is shown inFigs. 1, 1", 1, 1", and 2, by which mechanically these motions areindicated by usual pointers moving relatively to dials hearing ordinaryindications of distancesuch as one mile, one hundred miles, and onethousand miles dials, with subsidiary divisionsand fr )m the primaryspindle or any convenient part of this registering-wheelwork therotatory motion is transmitted by a pinion g to a toothed Wheel a, onthe axis of which wheel is mounted a barrel 1), containing a coiledspring *5, Fig. 6, said spring being attached to the axis a and thebarrel 1) by connections a: and as, as shown in Fig. 8. Projecting fromthe periphery of the barrel is a stop d, which when in its restingposition is kept in engagement with the detent e of the trigger e by thetension of a spring 2' applied in the barrel 1).

The extension I) of the cover I) of the barrel h constitutes theelectrical contact-piece, and this piece contacts with a springcircuitcloser f, mounted on an insulating-plate f, through which, bymeans of the screws Z Z, Figs. 1 and 2, the said circuit-closer isattached to an extension 7L of an insulated terminal h, the framework ofthe mechanism and the rotating contact-piece being permanently in theelectric circuit, by which means the electric circuit is completed, andthe electric current is conveyed to a point or, it may be, to aplurality of points (not shown) where indications of the movements ofthe rotator through the mechanism are made on other dials.

The operation of the arrangement of the apparatus shown by Figs. 1 to 8is as follows: The stop cl on the barrel h under the ten sional strainof the spring I; tends to keep in contact with the rear of the stud onthe toothed wheel a, Fig. 8. This stop (1 is, as shown, so shaped thatwhen the toothed wheel a is rotated by usual mechanism interposedbetween it and the rotator in the water and the studj is carried pastthe inclined part e of the trigger e, causing the trigger tosuccessively rise and fall, there is sufficient distance between thestud j and the stop d for the detent e on the trigger e to resume itsnormal position in time to engage with the stop (:1, and thereby arrestthe movement of the barrel Z) and cap 5. The spring 7c keeps the triggerin its engaged position. The toothed wheel a on the completion of itsrevolution again brings the study against the inclined portion 6 of thetrigger e, tripping said trigger and releasing the stop cl on thebarrel, whereupon the released barrel 1), with the cap I) and extensionb flies around on its axis almost a complete revolution until theprojection 01 is arrested by the rearof the stud 3'. This movementcauses the contactpiece b here shown as forming an extension of the capZ), to pass underneath the spring circuit-closer f, thus insuringcertainty of electrical contact between 12 f, and h, thereby closing theelectric circuit D and transmitting an electric impulse to a registeringapparatus E in the circuit D.

The registering apparatus E may be actuated *by the transmitted electricimpulse through the medium of an electromagnet F,

working a make and-break action with ratchet and pawl G or any of thewell-known methods by which wheelwork is moved by an alternatingpush-and-pull movement.

The improved construction insures that the duration of contact shall bereliably constant at all speeds and capable of regulation by the tensiongiven to the spring 1', located inside the barrel 1) and modified by theextent of the rubbing-surface of the part b The reference character Hdenotes the actuating-spindle attached to and operated by the flexibleconnection B through the operation of the rotator A. The spindle H isattached to the flexible connection B, as at I. The spindle H isprovided with a Worm J, meshing with the pinion K, carried by theprimary spindle L of the wheelwork. The operation of the spindle Lthrough the medium of the pinion K actuates the wheelwork O. The spindleL also carries at one end the pinion g, hereinbefore referred to.

The reference character M denotes a supporting-plate carrying theelectrical circuitforming mechanism hereinbefore described and which isarranged within the casing C, as well as the wheelwork O.

The reference-numerals t 5 denote the binding-posts for the wiresforming the circuit D, and 6 denotes a battery or other source ofelectrical supply.

The reference-numeral 7 denotes the terminal-box, in which are arrangedthe bindingposts 4 5, and is, as shown, attached to the casing O. Thewires of the circuit D extend through a sleeve 8, connected by the gland9 to the box'7.

Figs. 9, 10, 11, and 12 show a slight modification in the arrangement ofthe parts of the improved apparatus, throughout which like lettersindicate like parts, as in Figs. 1' to 8. In this modification thepositions of some of the parts are transposed. The spindle c, carryingthe contact projection c for contacting with the circuit-closerf, ismounted at its opposite ends in bearings formed in the base-plate m andthe frame 41, respectively. This spindle a, while forming an axis aroundwhich the toothed wheel a, the barrel Z), and the cover I) rotate, isnot connected to the said barrel or wheel except by means of the coiledspring 2'. The barrel Z) and the wheel a, are, as here shown, formed asone piece. Upon the spindle c is the enlargement d, carrying the stop(l. The wheel a in its rotative movement in a direction shown by thearrow, Fig. 12, winds up the spring 2' and carries around with it thebarrel 1) and stop j, mounted on its cover I), and as soon as thestopjin its rotation arrives at a point when it contacts with aninclined surface e of the trigger c said stop j presses outwardly thattrigger, disengaging its end or detent portion e from engagement withthe stop d, which stop 01 had until such release been held from rotationthereby. The

tact, and the enlargement cl thereon coming into contact with the rearsurface of the stop 7' is prevented thereby from again resuming itslocked position with the trigger 6 until that stop j has rotated afurther distance into the position shown by Fig. 12.

, The electrical energy referred to may be derived from any suitablesource; but we have found a dry battery of two or more cells to answerthe purpose satisfactorily.

WVe may employ a registering-log of usual or convenient construction inthe water and convey the indications of the rotations of the rotator toa point or to various points on the ship by means of electrical energywith the aid of the current-controlling parts described, suitable dialsand pointers indicating the distance traveled by the rotations of theparts, or when using a plain rotator the usual clockwork and dial-workon the taffrail may be replaced by the primary spindle and gearingactuating our apparatus and the revolutions transmitted by electricalenergy, with the aid of the current-controlling parts already described,to wheel and dial mechanism, where the rotations will be indicated.

In order to insure absence of contact, except at the proper moment,between the members of the make-and-break electrical contact which serveto control the passage of current and also in order to insure asubstantial area of contact-surface, we have devised the plan describedof locating the electrical contact-surface endwise of its rotative axis,and we so position the resilient circuit-closer cooperating therewiththat the approach and recession relatively of those parts takes place inthe direction of the length of the support or axis and the electricalcontact is made in a plane at right angles to the axial line ofrotation, whereas in the case of an electrical contact-surface mountedperipherically on a drum or such like body having an intermittentrotative motion imparted to it, the rubbing-contact being obtained byplacing a resilient strip in the path of that contact, results in a merelineal contact across the breadth of the conductive resilient strip ofno substantial area.

Although in the construction chosen by us for illustration We haveshowna barrel to inclose the intermediate coiled spring and to serve atthe same time as a means of connection between the constantly-rotatingmotor mechanism actuated by the revolutions of the log rotator and anintermittently rotating contact-maker, it will be readily understoodthat although the use of an inclosing barrel as dirt-excluder andprotection is a convenience it is not an essential necessity, theessential requirement being the connection of one end of the coiledintermediate spring to the rotator-impelled motor mechanism and of theopposite end of that spring to the intermittently-rotatingcontact-maker.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our saidinvention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declarethat what we claim is- 1. In an electrical ships-log mechanism, thecombination of a continuously-rotating memher, an impelled memberrotating at intervals, an intermedially-connecting spring, a detentdevice acting to intermittently restrain the rotative movement normallyimparted by the continuously-rotating member to the impelled member, anda making-and-breaking electrical contact device forming part of the saidimpelled member and having a rotative contacting surface positioned in aplane at right angles to the axial line of rotation of theintermittently-impelled member.

2. In an electrical ships-log mechanism, a continuously-rotating member,a circuit making and breaking member rotating at intervals and arrangedconcentrically with the said continuously-rotatin g member and having anaxially-arranged contact-surface,and a spring connection between saidmembers adapted to impart movement to the said circuit making andbreaking member, substantially as herein shown and described.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto set our hands in presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

THOMAS FERDINAND WALKER. THOMAS SYDNEY WALKER.

Witnesses:

HUME CHANoELLoR' PINSENT, FRANCIS MARTIN TOMKINSON.

